Quest For Love
by ARoseInWhite
Summary: When Gajeel receives a job from Mira asking him to explore a labyrinth, he's forced into partnering with Levy. The pair travel to the infamous City of Love, Rove, where the labyrinth is located. Upon their entrance, they discover that the torturous maze is far from their expectations. Fairy Tail fanfiction - GaLe(Gajevy) with a bit of NaLu - rated T for Language
1. Chapter 1 - The Quest Begins

**Quest For Love  
** (Gajevy/GaLe)

 **Chapter One – The Quest Begins**

"Hey Gajeel!" Mirajane waved a slightly crumpled piece of paper over her head as she cupped her other hand around her mouth. "I have a special job for you!"

The Iron Dragon Slayer looked up, bored. "Oh yeah?" From across the room, Levy stopped all conversation with Jet and Droy as well, and glanced curiously at Mira.

"Yeah! Come over here and check it out!"

Gajeel sighed heavily and dragged himself out of the corner he usually lurked in. "Alright. I guess I could use some cash…" He meandered over to Mira, who waited patiently. Mira glanced at Lucy, who was sitting with Natsu and Happy at the nearest table. Lucy caught her eye and winked. Gajeel and Natsu, however, were too dense to notice this brief interaction.

Pantherlily trailed along behind Gajeel, also curious.

Mira handed Gajeel the old sheet of paper. "See? They're asking for you! The job is to make your way through a labyrinth and defeat this monster made of iron in the middle! The reward is a million jewel!"

Gajeel harrumphed. "This seems pretty suspicious to me. Do labyrinths even exist nowadays?"

Mira's smile faded instantly and her eyebrows drew down angrily. "Do you doubt my credibility?"

Gajeel drew back a little at the horrifying she-devil. "Uh, no, of course not."

"I will have you know that I have never once delivered a false job before! How dare you insinuate that I'm lying!" Mira shrieked at Gajeel, who was now trying to cower behind Lily.

"I swear, I wasn't!" Gajeel tried to defend himself. "I'll go on the quest! Seriously, just don't be so scary!"

Mira immedietly returned to her sunshiny self. "Oh, that's wonderful! Now read the flyer."

Gajeel pulled the flyer in front of his face shakily, keeping a wary eye on Mirajane. "Uh…labyrinth…blah blah…iron monster…blah….wait, a partner?" He raised an eyebrow at Mira. "This says I should bring a partner who can solve the many.. 'mystifying and life-threatening puzzles around the labyrinth'."

Mira nodded. "Yep! The Labyrinth is full of dangerous traps and enchantments! I suggest you bring someone that really knows their way around these things!" She glanced at Lucy and subtly inclined her head towards Freed. 'Get him out', she mouthed.

Gajeel was too busy thinking to notice. "Oh, I know, I'll bring Fre-eh?" By the time he had turned around, the spot Freed was once in was vacant. He failed to spot the small green spot of hair peeking out from behind Reedus, as well as Lucy standing suspiciously next to the giant man.

"Hey, where'd Freed go?" He questioned suspiciously. Pantherlily opened his mouth to answer, but Mira grabbed the cat before he could say anything and smashed him against the table. Gajeel could practically see small stars floating around the poor Exceed's head. "What'd you do that for? My poor cat!"

He glowered at Mirajane, who simply waved a hand towards him and replied, "Hurry up and pick a partner! The deadline is tomorrow!"

Gajeel scratched at his head before glancing towards Levy, who quickly turned away from the scene and engaged Jet and Drow into conversation again.

Levy blew out a breath of relief. "Phew, I'm glad he didn't notice me staring like a creeper!" She whispered under her breath. Jet and Droy just looked at her strangely before once again arguing about who would pick the next job.

Gajeel frowned slightly. "I guess I'll have to go with the shrimp."

Mira's eyes lit up like a kid's on Christmas. "Wow, what a wonderful idea!" She screamed in a high-pitched voice. From across the room, Lucy wildly gestured for Mira to 'tone it down'. When Freed tried to come out from behind Reedus, Lucy kicked him swiftly, bringing him back down to his knees.

Gajeel grunted and headed over to Team Shadowgear's usual table. He poked Levy's head. "You're coming on a job with me tomorrow." He stated.

Levy turned around, feigning surprise. "And who said that?" She asked haughtily.

Gajeel smirked and lifted her up by her dress straps. "Hey!" She complained. "Put me down!"

"Put Levy down!" Jet and Droy chanted in unison. However, neither one made a move to save their esteemed leader.

"I said it," Gajeel told her. "And you owe me. So, how about it?" His smirk grew and his eyes pierced into her own.

Levy's cheeks reddened. She convinced herself it was from anger. "I owe you? Since when? Last I checked, it was _you_ who owed me!"

Gajeel frowned. "That's not important. Will you go or not, shrimp?" He looked away from her large brown eyes, which held a gleam of satisfaction in them.

"Well, sure. It's not like I have anything better to do!" She smiled at him. Gajeel was taken by surprise for a moment and a betraying blush crept across his cheeks.

"Wait, what?" Jet and Droy exclaimed in surprise. "But you said we were going on a job tomo-" A glare from Levy silenced them immedietly.

"Never mind," Droy stammered. "I guess I heard you wrong." Jet nodded in agreement.

Cheeks now redder than before, Levy swiveled her head back to the confused dragon slayer. "Now will you put me down?" She asked impatiently, her former good will vanishing.

"Huh?" Gajeel realized that he was still holding the tiny woman in the air. "Right." He set her on the ground, trying to regain his original calmness.

"Okay then," Gajeel grunted. "We'll take off tomorrow. Meet me in the guild hall at 8 AM." With that, the slightly flustered iron dragon slayer sauntered off, back to his isolated corner of the guildhall.

Pantherlily awoke from his dazed state. "What's going on, Mira?" He asked the cheerful barmaid. "Why'd you knock me out?"

Mira looked down at the black exceed. "Oh, yes. Sorry about that, Lily! I really didn't want to! Here, can you promise to keep a secret?"

Lily nodded. Mira smiled deviously. "So here's the plan…"

As Mira explained her plan to Lily, in another corner of the guild hall, Lucy was debriefing Natsu.

"Okay, Natsu!" She yelled, finally releasing Freed. Natsu looked up from his huge chicken drumstick. "You too, Happy! I have a special mission for you two!"

"Do I get any fish?" Happy piped up.

Lucy glared at him. "No. But," a mischievous smile appeared on her face. "You get to tease Gajeel and Levy about being 'in looove'."

Happy grinned. "Aye!" After a moment, a smile to match Lucy's appeared on Happy's face. "Speaking of which, you and Natsu are obviously _in looooove._ "

Lucy kicked him into the ceiling. "The one you'll be saying to Gajeel and Levy will actually be real, you stinking cat!" However, nobody could deny the red that painted Lucy's face at that moment.

She sighed and turned back to Natsu, who had returned to eating his chicken leg with gusto. "Alright, listen up, you dodobrain!"

"That's hurtful, Lucy!" Natsu mumbled through a mouthful of food.

"Never mind that, Natsu! Here's what I need you to do.." Lucy gave a quick rundown of the plan to Natsu.

"All right!" He crowed, pumping a flaming fist in the air. "I've always wanted to beat that old piece of metal up! And, I'll have so many opportunities to tease him after this…"

Lucy shook her head at the hopeless man-child. "Sometimes I wonder why I even stick with you." She muttered, mildly disappointed.

Turning around, she stuck her two thumbs up at Mira, who winked and sent her a thumbs-up back.

Lucy grinned. "Oh yeah, Operation Quest for Love is officially in action!"


	2. Chapter 2 - The Arguments Begin

**Quest For Love  
** (Gajevy/GaLe)

 **Chapter Two – The Arguments Begin**

When Levy arrived at the guild hall the next morning, she found an angry Lily arguing furiously with Mira. "You're telling me that I can't go?" The black exceed growled at the cheery barmaid.

"I'm glad the notion finally got to you!" Mira chided happily. "Lily, you have to understand. You simply can't go and ruin the entire endeavor!"

Lily groaned and lied down on the bar surface. "But…think of all the things that could go wrong!" He mumbled, face pressed into the wooden surface.

Levy sat down quietly in a corner, eyes trained on the pair. What were they talking about? Surely it couldn't be the job…could it? She narrowed her eyes. Was this just a setup? No, Mirajane had genuinely been offended when Gajeel had suggested the same. Before Levy's sharp wheels could turn any further, she was tackled by someone.

"LEVY! WHY DIDN'T YOU COME AND SAY HELLO?" Lucy's overly loud, blatantly obvious voice echoed throughout the guildhall. Levy watched suspiciously as Lucy stared at Mira, who gasped and quickly started discussing a different topic with a flustered Pantherlily.

"Um..Lucy..I just got here. Have you seen Gajeel?" Levy shoved the suspicion away into a corner of her mind. No matter if it was a set up. She was just happy to spend some time with- _no!_ What was she thinking? No, Gajeel was disagreeable and…and...oh hell, she didn't know what else he was. Confusing, for sure.

Lucy narrowed her eyes knowingly. "Why, do you miss him?" Levy's face flushed and she violently shook her head. Before she could chastise Lucy, however, the blonde continued with a wink. "Anyway, I haven't seen him, but since Lily's here, he's gotta be around somewhere."

Levy frowned. "He's the one who ordered me to be here at eight..and not to be late. What a iron-hearted hypocrite."

Lucy shrugged. "Sounds like a classic Gajeel, to me."

Surprised, Levy giggled. "Classic Gajeel? I guess."

A low voice sounded from behind her, and she felt warm breath on the back of her neck. "What's a classic Gajeel?"

Levy jumped, screaming. "Oh my Mavis! Don't scare me like that, jerk!" She turned around and punched him, satisfied for only a moment before her hand started shooting rays of pain. "Owww!" She screeched.

Gajeel raised his hands up and stepped away from her. He raised an eyebrow. "Woah there. Remember, shrimp, my body's made of iron. Don't go around punching me unless you wanna get hurt."

Levy glared at him, cradling her hand. "You…you jerk!" Her usually clever brain seemed to slow down to a halt around the mysterious iron dragon slayer. The only insult she could generate seemed to be 'jerk'. _Hmph,_ Levy thought. _At least it's accurate._ While she accepted that she was warming up to the cold metal man, she still would not admit that she liked him. Which she didn't. At all.

Gajeel frowned at her. A dark cloud seemed to appear around him. Even Lucy took a step back. "Will you stop? I don't like constantly being called names." His eyes seemed to pierce into her own and a small inkling of discomfort began to make its way into her mind.

Levy looked away guiltily. "Oh. Yeah…sorr-eek!"

Gajeel smiled widely and ruffled Levy's blue hair, effectively cutting the act. "I'm just kidding, shrimp. Don't be so wound up, will ya?"

Levy pouted at him, secretly relieved that he wasn't actually offended. She mentally chastised herself. _Levy, get it together! You two need to get started on the job._ "Look, can we leave now?" She asked, forcing impatience into her tone.

"Yeah, but let me find my cat." Gajeel replied, joking mood fading. He scanned the crowded guild hall for Pantherlily, but ended up face to face with Mirajane instead.

"Gajeel! Nice to see that you showed up!" The exuberant barmaid exclaimed. "I forgot to mention: if you've picked Levy as your partner, Pantherlily can't go." She smiled at Gajeel innocently.

Gajeel's jaw dropped so hard Levy expected the floor to break. "WHAT? What do you mean, 'my cat can't go'? He's MY cat!"

Levy stared at Gajeel. _This guy's brain cells are as scarce as Natsu's._ She thought. "You realize you provided no real argument for Lily to go, right?" She voiced aloud.

Gajeel spun around to face her. "Sorry, shrimp. Looks like you're off the hook. I'm bringing my cat!"

"You can't be serious!" Levy fumed, before rapidly dropping the word 'IRON' onto Gajeel's head. "Solid script: Iron!" She all but screamed.

"Ow!" He complained. "What'd you do that for?" A small bump began to grow on top of his head.

Levy was outright angry, now. "How dare you? I had to wake up at eight for this, you know! And I had to go through a lot of pain for this! Look at my poor hand!" She shoved her hand into a stunned Gajeel's face. "And now you want to ditch me?" A fuming shadow appeared on Levy's face. "How dare you!" With that, Levy began dropping numerous 'Iron's on Gajeel's head, each one seemingly larger than the last.

"Stop!" Gajeel yelled finally, grabbing Levy's wrist. "Are you trying to kill me, woman?"

Levy's eyes shot daggers. "So what if I am?"

"Okay! I won't ditch you! I swear. I wasn't going to before, I was just joking! Lighten up!" Gajeel blustered, his apologetic phrases piling up on each other. Levy stared at him, trying to discern whether he was lying or not.

Meanwhile, Mirajane was sorting through the pile of 'Iron's on the floor. "Oh, Levy, you're so cute! 80% of these have hearts in the O's!"

Levy's jaw dropped and her face immediately reddened. "That doesn't mean anything!" She yelled. "It just happens sometimes! Seriously! I don't know why!"

Mirajane smiled deviously. "Well, Levy, I can _tell_ you why." Levy awaited fearfully, but Mira never got to finish her sentence.

"Because you _loooove_ him!" A high-pitched voice squealed from above the group.

Levy groaned and buried her face in her hands while Gajeel looked away uncomfortably. "Happy!" Mira squealed. "Just in time!"

Removing her flaming face from her hands, Levy faced the grinning cat. "I do not! And when did you get here?"

Happy landed on the table in front of her and gave her a mock salute. "I'm just reporting for duty with Natsu!" The cat piped.

"Duty?" Levy questioned. "What duty?"

Clueless of a fuming Mirajane, Happy opened his mouth to respond. "Well, Mira over there asked us to-ah!" Screaming, Happy was towed away by the tail. Mira, now in her She-Devil form, growled at him menacingly.

"Happy.." She threatened. "Don't. Spill. The. Beans." She rumbled.

Levy was now more than a little confused. "What in Mavis' name is going on?" She asked to no one in particular.

"Well, _nom nom,_ I don't know either. But shrimp, _nom nom,_ we should probably get going." Gajeel swallowed the last bit of iron left on the ground–which just _had_ to be an O with a heart in the middle-and grinned at her.

Levy nodded. "I agree. At this rate, we'll never make it there on time. Speaking of which…where are we going again?"

Gajeel fumbled around his pockets before taking out the ratty piece of paper. "Uh..Rove."

Levy's eyes sparkled. "Oh my Mavis, ROVE? I've _always_ wanted to go there! City of Love, here I come! Gajeel, do you even know how amazing Rove is? It's like the cutest, more adorable city there is-" She was effectively silenced when Gajeel placed a finger over her mouth.

"I know, shrimp. I've listened to your hour long rants about the place. I'm curious to see if it fits your insanely large bill…" He swung a huge arm around her small shoulders and set off for the main door. "Now can we stop the fan-girling and leave now?"

Levy's cheeks turned pink. She couldn't seem to formulate any words, so she stuck with nodding.

The two waved goodbye to Lucy, Mira, Natsu, Happy and a tearful Pantherlily. "Bye everyone!" Levy beamed at them.

"Try not to have _too_ much fun, yeah?" Cana placed her tankard down and winked at Levy, who instantly returned to being a temporary tomato.

She blinked, once, twice, before a strong hand grabbed her and turned her around. "Stop getting distracted, shrimp." Gajeel demanded.

"O-okay." With that, the pair set off on foot, with no one but each other as company.

 **Hello, fellow Fairy Tail shippers! I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate everyone single one of my readers! I love you all! I hope you guys enjoy the story so far (I know it's not very far in yet), but I'd like to provide you with some general information.**

 **I publish chapters quickly when I'm really into the story like I am now. So expect relatively frequent updates! Also, I expect the story will be around 20-30 chapters, each of them similar length as this one.**

 **There won't be much mature content. Cute stuff, heck yes, but I'm not comfortable writing graphic scenes. Rated T just for language.**

 **Thanks for reading, and if you would like to contact me or fan-girl together, PM me!**

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect Fairy Tail. Fairy Tail is property of Hiro Mashima.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Journey Begins

**Quest For Love  
** (Gajevy/GaLe)

 **Chapter Three – The Journey Begins**

Gajeel sneaked a glance at the small solid script mage dawdling behind him. He still didn't know what to think of the entire situation. Here he was, about to travel with the only woman he felt oddly protective about-not that he'd admit the fact out loud-to the city of love. What kind of twisted coincidence was this? Gajeel mentally punched himself. _Snap out of it,_ he growled at himself. _Now is not the time to get distracted. You have an iron monster to beat._

His internal struggle must've shown on his face, because Levy turned around and gave him a weird glance. "Everything alright there, Gajeel?" Gajeel celebrated silently. _She cares!_ The small, cheesy side of him cheered, while the outer Gajeel scowled.

"I'm fine. Mind your own business." He sniped at her.

Suddenly, a purple flash gleamed in the corner of his eye. "Hm?" He muttered, before turning his head towards the sky. The flash of purple and black streaked across the sky before disappearing into a nearby forest. _What was that?_ Gajeel wondered suspiciously. _I hope it's not something dangerous…I don't want Levy getting hurt._ He would go and investigate, but the shrimp next to him kept him from straying. Levy would be left defenseless if Gajeel decided to go rampaging into the forest. Gajeel simply narrowed his eyes before deciding to leave the matter alone. _It was probably a bird, or something equally as harmless._ He amended in his head.

Levy scowled at him, bringing him back to the situation at hand. "Fine, you cold hunk of metal. Be that way. Sorry I ever decided to care." She snapped back. The smallest trace of hurt floated in her eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

Gajeel looked down. His mouth flattened into a hard line. "I didn't mean it that way."

The blue haired woman simply turned her head and glared the other direction. Gajeel raised a brow. He heard that Levy was one of the nicest people in the entire guild, but around him, she always seemed to be ticked off. Did he do something wrong? _You mean besides pin her to a tree? Nope, nothing._ He hoped that Levy didn't hold a grudge. She'd told him that he was forgiven, but her behavior around him contradicted her words…

 _Why do I even care so much?_ Gajeel harrumphed. It wasn't like him to dawdle over people's _feelings_ like this. He was the great iron dragon slayer who didn't give a crap about anyone. Except, apparently, a certain blue-haired solid script mage who didn't even come up to his shoulder in height.

"Hey Gajeel," Levy said, effectively ending the silence. She paused and stared him dead in the eye. "I'm just kidding, jerk," she imitated Gajeel's words from earlier, substituting his nickname for her with her nickname for him. "Don't be so wound up, will ya?" She drawled, before breaking out into a huge grin.

Gajeel's legs slowed as he stood gaping at the tiny female, who bent over, shaking with laughter. "You should've seen your face!" She wheezed before contorting her own expression into one of extreme concentration. " 'I'm the mighty Gajeel, I don't give a crap about anyone.'" Levy bellowed in a deep voice, before bursting into laughter once again.

Gajeel's brain was running a mile a minute. _Did I say that out loud? Oh Mavis, if I did…_

"I bet you thought that, didn't you?" Levy accused merrily, jabbing him in the chest. "I bet that exact thought crossed your mind."

He gaped. "What?" He mumbled. _No way…_ "Hey, shrimp." Levy payed no attention to him, rambling on and on about how thickheaded he was. "Shrimp." When he still got no answer, Gajeel began to feel a little impatient. "Shrimp! Stop giggling your ass off, shut up, and drop it!" He ordered.

Levy quieted for a moment and took a deep breath. "Alright, okay, okay." But another glance at the peeved dragon slayer sent her into another fit of laughter. "Oh my god, I can't believe I predicted exactly what you were thinking!"

Nerves thoroughly frayed and patience gone, Gajeel couldn't bear anymore self-ridicule. "Well now you're asking for it." He growled, fists already hardening with iron scales.

Levy snapped her mouth closed and stood ramrod stiff. Her face paled in fear. "Gajeel..?"

"Levy, will you please stop making fun of me?" Gajeel whined petulantly, demeanor instantly transforming.

Levy was shocked beyond words. Never in a million years did she ever predict to see Gajeel this way. He was actually…asking? No, that wasn't the right word. Begging? She was officially disturbed. "Agh! Gajeel?" She poked him a few times in various places, eyebrows furrowing. "Is this still Gajeel? You're freaking me out here."

She stepped back. "You still _look_ like Gajeel…" She frowned. "I'll stop if you go back to being your regular jerk self." She demanded, placing her hands on her fists. "Leave Gajeel alone." She pointed at the man who resembled Gajeel. "Get out, spirit!"

Gajeel raised his hands up. "It's still me, shrimp. I hoped that act would get you to stop." He smirked at her.

Levy was too relieved to care. "Oh thank Mavis. It's still Gajeel in there." She glared at him. "You scared me!"

Gajeel simply raised an eyebrow. "You are one strange lady." He shrugged and turned back towards the road. "We gotta get moving."

He marched off, leaving Levy to recover in the middle of the dusty dirt road. She blinked a few times before running after him. "Hey! Gajeel! Wait up, jerk!"

Gajeel paused and looked over his shoulder. "Don't worry, shrimp. I would never abandon you."

 **Hey my fellow shippers! I realize this is a pretty short chapter, but I'm trying to stick with daily updates! Besides, I thought it was a good place to end it. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! It's a little bit of a filler (like the last one), but I promise we'll get to the substantial stuff! Just hang on for a few more fluffy chapters ;)**

 **Cheers, Rose.**


	4. Chapter 4 - The Train Ride Begins

**Quest For Love  
** (Gajevy/GaLe)

 **Chapter Four – The Train Ride Begins**

Levy and Gajeel arrived at the train station within an hour. They could barely hear distant trains whistling over the rumble of the crowd. "Stay close," Gajeel warned. "I bet there's tons of suspicious people around here."

Levy considered arguing that she was perfectly capable of fending for herself, but decided against it. She opted with smiling quietly instead, finding herself inexplicably happy that he cared so much for her safety.

"Ugh," Gajeel groaned, distracting her from her strange thoughts.

"What's wrong?" She asked. When the man remained silent, she persisted. "Gajeel? What is it?"

Gajeel looked away, discomfort showing on his face. "I'm hungry.." He admitted unwillingly after Levy's continuous prodding.

She let out a surprised laugh. "Here, you big lug. Solid script: Iron!"

Gajeel caught the falling word, grunting when it landed in his arms. When Levy noticed the heart once again cheerily sitting in the O, she turned tomato red. _Agh, why now?_ She thought, dismayed.

"Aw shrimp, there's a heart!" Gajeel grinned widely before lowering his head to munch the iron. The crowd gasped, and a crowd quickly gathered to see the strange sight.

Levy huffed and turned away, not wanting Gajeel to see her heated face. _Hell, why'd he have to notice?_ She wailed internally.

"What are you idiots gawking at?" Gajeel growled at the curious onlookers. He looked up from the iron, eyes glowing a terrifying red. The rattled crowd quickly dispersed.

Levy chuckled under her breath. Leave it to Gajeel to scare poor pedestrians away. "You didn't have to do that, you know." She murmured, leaning close to the man so they didn't cause a larger ruckus.

Gajeel swallowed his mouthful of iron before leaning even closer. "Yes I did." He muttered. "Why are you leaning towards me?"

Levy flushed. "Um…I don't really know?"

Gajeel snorted. "Okay." Levy heard him take a breath. "Hm. You smell nice, shrimp."

Levy squeaked and jumped back a step. "W-what the hell? Why are you _smelling_ me?" She yelped, blushing once again. Now that she thought about it, her face always seemed to be red around Gajeel. Something about him just set her on edge.

Gajeel raised a brow. "Hey, shrimp. Let's not forget you were the one who leaned towards me. And besides, I'm just telling it like it is." He smirked at her.

"You just had to tell that?" Levy asked, mortified. "What if…what if…what if I didn't want to know?" She challenged. _Even though I did want to know,_ she added silently in her head before gaping at her own thoughts in despair.

Gajeel shrugged. "I say what I want, shrimp. No exceptions."

Levy groaned and turned away. "I give up." She said, rolling her eyes. As she turned, a flash of white and pink caught her eye. "Hey, is that Mira?" She exclaimed in surprise.

Gajeel grunted. "Where?" He followed her line of vision and squinted at the crowd. "I don't see her."

Levy frowned and tried to find the same flash, but to no avail. "Hm. Maybe I saw wrong." She amended.

"Well, you have fun seeing things. I'm getting on the train we're supposed to be on." Gajeel deadpanned.

Levy stuck her tongue out at him petulantly. "Aren't you hilarious." She shot back.

Laughing, Gajeel turned around and stepped onto the train. "You comin' or not, shorty?" He tossed over his shoulder. His bulky frame barely fit within the doorframe, although Levy suspected a large portion of his mass came from his hair. Honestly, the man's hair was huge.

Almost made her wonder…nope. No, wondering about Gajeel never led to anything good. Levy gave her head a small shake, clearing it of all Gajeel related thoughts. It was time to focus on the job she was sent out on. That's it.

"Yeah, I'm coming."

When the two finally settled into the small booth, Levy felt a small part of her settle down in comfort. "Ah, it's nice to finally sit down." She muttered to herself. Smiling privately, she absently tied her hair back in a messy ponytail with her bandana and slid her glasses on. She reached into the small pack she brought and took out a thick book, flipping through the pages before reaching her small blue bookmark. "Hm…"

Gajeel watched in amusement. "Hey shrimp, I'm still here you know."

Levy started. "Oh, right." She smiled wryly. "Sorry, I just slip away whenever I get on a train. There's something peaceful about watching the trees fly by and reading a book, don't you agree?"

Gajeel raised an eyebrow. "You sure are weird, shrimp. Train rides are the most boring thing ever. There's nobody to fight."

Levy rolled her eyes. "Fighting isn't everything in life, Gajeel." She lectured wisely.

Gajeel harrumphed. "Maybe to you, but fighting is energizing." He refuted.

Levy shrugged. "I guess, sometimes." The two sat in comfortable silence for a while as the train stayed still. After a few moments of watching the bookworm engrossed in her book, Gajeel closed his eyes and slouched in his seat. _Might as well get some rest_ , he thought. Neither wizard noticed a pink dress whisk by their door, followed by a blue miniskirt, then a dark blue jacket lined with gold.

Only when a long blue tail snaked by their door did Levy glance to the side. "Is that Happy?" She asked loudly, startling Gajeel into opening his eyes.

"Huh?"

Levy stood up and peered to the side. She saw nothing but ordinary people getting into the surrounding booths. "Lucy? Natsu?" She tossed out. No response, save a few strange looks. She sunk back into the wooden bench. "I guess I saw wrong, again." She couldn't help but feel a bit on edge. Levy's sharp eyes didn't often fail her, much less twice in a row.

"Don't worry about it, shrimp." Gajeel shrugged, "Even if it was them, they probably aren't here on any suspicious business. Hell, Natsu's probably finally manned up and asked the blonde bimbo on a date."

A loud thump sounded, and a few yells echoed throughout the train. However, Levy and Gajeel were too engrossed in their conversation to notice.

Levy scoffed at him. "First of all, Lucy is _not_ a blonde bimbo. Second of all, Natsu clearly doesn't like Lucy, no matter how much I want him to."

Now it was Gajeel's turn to scoff. "Are you kidding me? It's so obvious. The guy breaks into her apartment, for heaven's sake. Even _I_ don't do that to you." It only took a moment before Gajeel caught his slip up. "Fuck." He cursed under his breath. The only thing he could do was pray she didn't notice.

No such luck, however. Levy's cheeks heated up. _Was that a mistake?_ She wondered, panicking. It didn't take much to convince herself that Gajeel didn't like her and it was a slip of his tongue. _Why would someone like him like someone like me, anyway? Man that's a tongue twister,_ she added, amused at herself. "O-okay," She decided to continue. Levy didn't notice the small blush that tainted Gajeel's cheeks. Her own rose-colored glasses of self-deprecation prevented her from noticing any sign Gajeel was giving. "Still, you know Natsu. He thinks like a little kid. He himself probably doesn't know the signals he's sending poor Lucy."

Gajeel opened his mouth to argue, but before he could do that, a loud protest sounded from behind them.

"Hey! I am NOT a little kid!"

Levy's eyes widened in shock. "N-natsu?"

Gajeel smirked smugly. "Well, well. If it isn't the mighty salamander."


	5. Chapter 5 - The Big Surprise Begins

**Quest For Love** (Gajevy/GaLe)

 **Chapter Five – The Big Surprise Begins**

Natsu glared at Gajeel. "Fight me, you cocky bastard!" He roared.

Gajeel chuckled and lifted his arms up. "It's not me you want, it was obviously Levy who insulted you." Levy stared at him in dismay, not wanting to believe how easily Gajeel just threw her under the bus.

Natsu nodded. "You're right." He turned to Levy, angry lines etched in his face. "Levy, I am _not_ a child!"

Levy took a deep breath, shooting a dirty glare at Gajeel. "You're right Natsu, I'm so-"

"Natsu! What are you DOING?" Lucy came flying out of nowhere before tackling the poor dragon slayer. _Oh no,_ Levy thought to herself. _The dreaded Lucy Kick._ She was only half joking.

"Why didn't you stick to the-" Lucy suddenly noticed Levy and Gajeel gawking at her. "Oh no." She muttered.

"Can I stand up now?" Natsu mumbled, the sound barely audible due to his face being pressed against the hard train floor.

Lucy blushed. "Yes, of course. I might've gone a bit overboard." She crawled off Natsu and helped him to his feet, looking extremely guilty.

Natsu cast her a strange look before immediately transforming into an apologetic puppy. "I'm so sorry Luce, I know you said we should leave them alone but I couldn't help myself!"

Lucy laughed awkwardly. "Oh, it's okay! Just shut up now!" She snapped, still fake smiling so Levy didn't catch on to her desperate attempt to hide their real intentions.

She didn't need to worry, however. Levy was still in a state of shock. "Wait…" The solid script mage stuttered. "You two were actually on…a date?" She whispered reverently, eyes sparkling.

Lucy's face turned an even brighter red. "What? WHAT? Of course-"

Natsu clamped a large hand over her mouth and Lucy's eyes bulged in surprise. He grinned at Levy and Gajeel. "Yes, we were! Lucy was going to say 'of course' we were!"

Lucy was about to keel over and faint. " _What?"_ She choked out, not that anyone could here her through Natsu's hand.

Natsu nodded obviously at Lucy, who quickly caught on, albeit unwillingly. "This is so stupid!" She mumbled into Natsu's hand, glaring at him. Natsu grinned widely at her, causing her to look away and blush. "That's a dirty trick!" She complained after Natsu finally dropped his hand.

"What is?" The clueless fire dragon slayer questioned, same grin plastered on his face. Annoyed, Lucy flicked his forehead and the man hunkered down like a child, cupping his forehead and wailing in "pain".

"Agh, this is so embarrassing." Lucy groaned, turning back to Levy and Gajeel. "You caught us," she admitted awkwardly. "We were on a…date." She grimaced at the word. "We were going to travel to Rove as well…" She looked away, cheeks pink. "But I hoped we would go unnoticed." Her eyebrows drew down in anger as she stared at Natsu. "At least, until THIS idiot decided to involve himself in your guys' conversation! If he didn't do THAT, we wouldn't BE in this MESS!" Lucy's voice climbed a few octaves as she ranted, glaring at the fire dragon slayer.

Natsu lowered his head. "Sorry, Luce…" He whined.

He was interrupted by a loud guffaw. "Man, you're totally whipped!" Gajeel chortled. "You've become totally weak! What is this behavior?" He snorted derisively.

Levy was deeply offended by this. "Is there something wrong with a guy giving up some of that precious pride you're always yapping about for the girl he loves?" She challenged, fuming.

Gajeel shrunk back slightly before realizing his own behavior contradicted his argument. "Eh…it's so shameful." He defended himself and crossed his arms.

"Ugh!" She barked at him. "You're such a pompous arse!" She snapped. "What do I even see in you?" Too late, she realized her own mistake and turned bright red.

However, Levy needn't worry, for Gajeel didn't react. He merely stared at her unnervingly. _What is up with him?_ Levy wondered.

"Er…um…" She squeaked in discomfort. "Lucy, why didn't you tell me you liked Natsu?" She blurted, trying to change the subject.

Lucy smirked at her best friend, seeing straight through the façade. On any other occasion, the blonde would've pestered her best friend, but at the moment, Lucy was walking a dangerous tightrope. One wrong move and the thin disguise she and Natsu had thrown over themselves would be uncovered.

"I, uh, wanted to keep it a secret!" Lucy chirped. "Anyway, you know now!" She chuckled awkwardly and grabbed for Natsu's arm. "Well, we'd best be off! Good luck on your job!"

Lucy knew that Natsu was normally denser than a sack of rocks, but thankfully, he took a hint this time. "Yeah, right. Let's go, Luce!" He wrapped an arm around her waist and the awkward couple marched away, desperate to leave the situation.

Levy felt like she had been sucked into a whirlpool. Lingering shock from Natsu and Lucy's abrupt announcement remained swirling around her head, as did embarrassment from earlier. _I can't believe I said that!_ She cried internally. _I hope Gajeel doesn't get the wrong idea. I don't like him or anything!_ She glanced towards the iron dragon slayer, who was still watching Natsu and Lucy tramp down the aisle.

"Something's fishy about them, no?" Gajeel murmured, paying no mind to Levy's mental freak out. "I mean, everyone saw it coming, but that was the most suspicious show I've ever seen…" He shrugged and turned back towards Levy. "Ah, screw it. I'm here to make money and nothing else."

Levy rolled her eyes, previous humiliation temporarily dissipating. "Of course you are."

"We will now be departing to Rove." An automatic voice boomed through train speakers. "Please stay seated and enjoy your ride."

Gajeel snorted. "I hope they change that line someday."

Levy flushed. "Gajeel!" She chastised. "Don't be crass."

The man simply smirked at her. "Don't be so prissy, then, shrimp."

"I am NOT prissy!"

As the two continued to verbally spar, a party was going down just a few seats away from them.

"I still can't believe you told them that ridiculous lie!" Lucy complained loudly to Natsu. There was no need, however. Natsu was out cold, passed out from his severe motion sickness. "Ugh, seriously?" Lucy grumbled to herself.

Mira grinned deviously at them. "I, for one, think Natsu wasn't lying." She suggested, wiggling her eyebrows.

Lucy cringed. "Mira, no. Please don't start _this_ again. Last time you did this, I started thinking that Natsu and I-" She cut herself off. _I can't believe I was about to reveal my own thoughts!_ Unintentionally, Lucy started recalling the multiple scenes she imagined the last time Mira had decided to play matchmaker. Natsu dressed up formally? Natsu and herself getting married? Natsu actually looking hands- _STOP!_ She yelled at herself. Her face was already bright red, no need to give Mira more fuel.

The barmaid already had plenty, however. "And what would those thoughts be?" Mira leaned over and smiled, dazzling Lucy.

"I ain't gonna fall for that, Mira." She deadpanned.

Mira pouted. "Fine. Erza!" She tried to get the redhead's attention, but Erza was eating cake, and everyone knew Erza would never part from her cake. "Erza? Erza! Do you want Nalu to come true or not? Erza!"

Lucy fought to keep from laughing. "Thanks a million, Erza." She patted the armored girl on the back before turning back to Mira. "Erza ain't gonna listen to you," She gloated. "Anyway, can you give it a rest now? You need to give me more details on what the labyrinth will look like when they get there. That way, we can plan accordingly."

Mira nodded seriously. "You're right. Okay, so when they enter…" Mira began explaining everything in detail. Lucy, Erza and Happy listened attentively. Little did Gajeel and Levy know that in mere hours, they would embark on what had been deemed "Operation: Quest For Love".

 **Greeting fellow shippers! It's me again. I hope you guys are enjoying the (relatively) daily updates! While the story has been pretty flat so far, I'm excited to start to write the** _ **really**_ **interesting stuff! If you think it's been cute so far, prepare yourselves for a whole lot more. Levy and Gajeel's relationship right now is obviously not in the best stage (they're still stiff and almost rival-like), but I'm sure you caught the multiple half-confessions! As for Mira, Lucy, Erza, Natsu, and Happy…I wonder what they're planning… For those who don't know where Erza came from, she's been with them the entire time, but Erza is a lot better at sneaking undetected than the rest of them, as well as staying quiet and uninvolved, especially when she has cake. If you think this is a plot hole, let me know and I'll try and fix it up a bit. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed!**

 **Cheers, Rose.**


	6. Chapter 6 - The Tourism Begins

**Quest For Love  
** (Gajevy/GaLe)

 **Chapter Six – The Tourism Begins**

Gajeel stepped off the train, followed by a huffing Levy. "Why do you move so fast?" She complained, catching her breath.

Gajeel glanced at her. A twinge of pity and regret struck him, but he waved it off. "I don't, you're just slow."

Levy stuck her tongue out. "Jerk." He turned away, hiding his small smile. _Why does her insult feel so warm to me now?_ He wondered. _I must be getting soft._

"Anyway, here we are." Gajeel paused at the entrance to the city. "Rove."

Levy could hardly contain her excitement. She squealed. "Oh, how I have _longed_ to come here!" She jumped up and down enthusiastically. "I can't wait to tour the city!" Her eyes sparkled. Something inside Gajeel warmed at her little kid like adorableness. That is, until he realized what she said.

"Wait, what?" Gajeel shook his head emphathetically. "Hell no. We are not _touring,_ " He spat, "the city. No way, shrimp."

Levy frowned. "Then what's the point of us even coming here?" She challenged, unhappy with Gajeel's response.

He gaped at her incredulously. "Have you forgotten the job we're supposed to be on?" He inquired. Levy simply pouted and muttered a few unintelligible words. "Speaking of which, we should hurry." Gajeel gestured towards the sky. The sun was still in a relatively high phase, but it was already close to 4 PM, and according to the flyer, the job could take a few hours.

"Party pooper." Levy mumbled. Gajeel's incredible hearing picked up on the phrase easily.

"What was that?" He threatened, only half joking.

Levy turned towards him defiantly. "Spoilsport." She shot at him.

Gajeel growled at her. "You're going to pay for that, shrimp." Before Levy could react, he lifted her by the waist and threw her over her shoulder, cackling. "You're sure light, small fry."

Levy flushed a bright red. "Put me down, you big lug!" She yelled, batting at his back with her small fists.

"Are you trying to tickle me?" Gajeel asked innocently, as if he was trying to provoke the solid script mage. Which he wasn't, of course.

"Let. Me. Down." She threatened. "Or I will make you pay."

"My, how scary." Gajeel chortled sarcastically. Instead of putting her down, he continued walking. "Wow, we're actually much faster this way," he jabbed.

Now Levy was genuinely offended. "Shut up!" She huffed. "Fine, take this! Solid script: Iron!"

Unfortunately, for her, Gajeel easily sidestepped the falling metal and continued casually walking. "You didn't think I would fall for the same trick twice, did you?" He snorted.

Levy growled at him. "Argh, you're so annoying!" She took a deep breath. _Okay, calm down. How can I make this predicament beneficial to myself?_

Levy grinned. _Aha!_ "Gajeel, can I at least just sit on your shoulders?" She asked innocently. "This position is really killing my stomach."

Gajeel was surprised, to say the least. But he couldn't really object. He hated to admit it, but all Levy's kicking around had managed to leave a few bumps on his face. "I guess." He muttered, before quickly shifting her around to sit on his shoulders.

Levy yelped as she was twirled around like a baton. "Next time, give me a warning!" She snapped impulsively.

Gajeel narrowed his eyes playfully. "You wanna go back to being a sack of potatoes?" He challenged.

Levy could only bite her tongue and glare. _Anyway, next part of the plan._ She smiled to herself evilly before digging her hands into Gajeel's thick mane of hair. _It's soft…_ she thought, blushing slightly. _No! Don't get distracted! Stick to the plan, Levy!_ "Ha!" She crowed in success, as Gajeel halted and began to protest. "I've got you now!"

"Let go of my hair, woman!" He roared.

Levy burst into evil laughter. "Never!" She yanked the thick tuft towards her, causing Gajeel's head to jerk backwards. "Onwards, horsey!" She cackled.

Gajeel was entirely and completely embarrassed. He even began to blush, which he almost _never_ did. "Oh hell no," he growled before grabbing Levy roughly and removing the little minx from his shoulders. He would never admit that her hands in his hair felt better than he expected…never.

"I am never granting your request ever again." He informed her angrily, setting her down on the ground gently.

Levy was slightly surprised at the caring way he handled her. It was very different from when they first met…she shuddered at the memory and pushed it away. Gajeel was different now. She grinned. "It was fun while it lasted." She laughed. "I can't believe you fell for it though! Like, what else was I aiming for by sitting on your shoulders? A better view?" She continued giggling.

Gajeel just stood there, head tingling from the assault and spinning from his own thoughts. One of which happened to be, _We'll never get to the labyrinth at this rate…_ Mind made up, he turned on his heel and began marching away. "You've had your fun, shrimp." He grumbled. "I'm going on the job, with or without you."

Levy pouted. "Aw, don't be like that, you big grumpy teddy bear. What's wrong, are you mad that you totally got tricked by little old me?" She teased while struggling to keep up with his long strides. _I don't know what's gotten into myself,_ she reflected on her own behavior. _I would never do this to Jet or Droy._

Gajeel harrumphed. "No way." He denied.

Levy didn't get the opportunity to tease him further, however, because what she saw took her breath away. "Woah…it's beautiful!"

Rove was a magical city, surrounded by an enchantment that dimmed all light within the border. Naturally, when Levy and Gajeel walked past this enchantment line, the sky dimmed and they entered the soft, dim city.

Everything in Rove operated on love. Only within the boundaries of Rove did a different type of magic exist: Love magic. Levy had read all about Love magic in thick textbooks written on the subject of Rove.

It was a powerful magic, only capable of being used in romance-related situations, and only functional within the borders of Rove. This made the city legendary, for it's extreme magical power and the amazing, unique creations within the city borders. This included the labyrinth that Levy and Gajeel were supposed to visit.

One of the most famous features of Love magic was it's amazing flexibility. When wielded by a powerful wizard, it could be manipulated into any type of magic: Enchantment magic, healing magic, manipulation magic, etc. Of course, anything the wizard desired to accomplish using this magic had to have relation to love.

"I feel it," Levy breathed in awe. "It's like I have a whole new set of powers!" She splayed her fingers out. "Lovely wind!" She murmured into the air. A soft, warm breeze began to blow, causing her orange dress to flutter. Her heart immediately felt lighter and she began to feel happier. A natural blush crawled into her cheeks.

"But…" Levy paused. "I don't understand." _Love magic only works when you're close to the person you harbor romantic feelings for…_ she glanced at the only person near her. He stood in a fighting stance, arms crossed and eyes suspicious. _Gajeel? No way._ Levy snorted. _Maybe I'm just so powerful I can use the magic anyway._ She didn't want to think about this. She would stay in denial for the rest of her life if she had to, but she sure wasn't ready to face her confusing feelings now. _Whatever, this is awesome!_ She cheered internally. _I've been waiting for the day I could learn Love magic!_

Gajeel coughed. "Hey shrimp? Care to explain why I feel as if I have more power?"

Levy laughed. "It's because you do! It's the cool thing about Rove! The city grants you a different kind of magic. It's called Love magic." Levy explained what Love magic was, as well as what it could do.

"Woah, really?" Gajeel looked impressed. "Cool. Hey, so if I do this…Wings of Love!" He muttered. A pink halo lit up the man. Levy giggled. He sure looked weird like that, all gloomy and black but surrounded by pink…

"Hey, I can fly!" He murmured in shock, before soaring off into the sky.

Levy grinned. "Hey, wait for me!" She cheered before generating her own wings and floating up to join him.

Gajeel was waiting for her in the air. "Look, shrimp. The city sure looks cool from up here." He commented.

Levy was practically staring with hearts in her eyes. "It looks so romantic!" She squealed. "But…" Levy cringed at the scene below her. "Why are there so many couples MAKING OUT?"

 **Hello lovely fellow shippers! I'm mainly here today to clarify Love magic. This is entirely a concept I made up, I don't** _ **think**_ **it exists in Fairy Tail, but if it does, let me know! For those of you who are confused, Love magic (my version) can be manipulated into many different forms. The magical energy can be shaped into a physical object, it can be infused into potions, it can be used to influence people's actions and feelings, it can grant abilities and simulate many different forms of nature (like the breeze Levy created, for example). Feel free to comment any questions. Anyhow, Love magic will be further explained as Levy and Gajeel continue "touring" the city in the following chapter. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

 **Cheers, Rose.**


	7. Chapter 7 - The Race Begins

**Quest For Love** (Gajevy/GaLe)

 **Chapter Seven – The Race Begins**

Levy was completely horrified at the lack of tact. "Do they have no sense of privacy?"

Gajeel coughed in surprise as he noticed what she was looking at. "Well what do you expect? It is the city of love, after all." He fake gagged. "It's full of disgusting romantic shit."

Levy raised an eyebrow. "Keep that up and your wings will disappear." She smirked. "Non-believers of love can't use Love magic. Rule twelve." She recited, before glancing at Gajeel knowingly. "You big softie."

Gajeel looked away. He didn't appreciate being outed so easily. "Psh, whatever." Anxious to escape, he flew back down to the street, being sure to land somewhere where a couple _wasn't_ making out.

"We gotta go find that labyrinth before I die of disgust." He grumbled. A giggling couple stumbled across the alley he was looming in. They were clearly…in a state of inebriation. He finished delicately in his head.

Levy landed softly by his side. "Wow," she commented bluntly, "Those two are totally wasted." Gajeel glanced at her in surprise. He didn't know the kind and slightly prissy Levy McGarden could speak in such language. She sounded like Cana.

The two giggling drunks turned their way and began heading towards them. They didn't seem to hear what Levy had said. They were simply engrossed in each other, arms intertwined and bodies practically glued together. Levy and Gajeel watched in a slightly disgusted manner as they waltzed right past the two of them, bumping into Levy on their way. She stumbled towards Gajeel from the impact and he steadied her impulsively.

"Hey!" Levy yelled angrily at the unapologetic pair. "Get your drunk asses back here and apologize!" She snapped.

Gajeel raised a brow. He agreed with her, but he expected Levy to cut the couple some slack, due to her acclaimed obsession with romance. _I guess she isn't as pure as everyone thinks._ He chuckled mentally, finding a small measure of relief in the fact that Levy wasn't perfect. Not that he thought she was perfect before. He didn't. Still, a small voice nagged at the back of his head. _Did I?_ "That's my line." He informed her.

Levy scoffed. "You can be the hero another day." A small smile tugged at the edge of her lips as she glared ahead of her. The drunk couple didn't even appear to acknowledge her. They simply giggled louder and wobbled their way down the street. "Hey! Did you hear me?" Without a second thought, Levy began chasing the couple down the street. "Hey!"

She was stopped in her tracks by a solid wall of black. "Oomph." She wheezed as she slammed into Gajeel. After getting over the initial shock, she paused and took a deep breath. Why did the scent of metal suddenly seem so comforting? Shaking her head, she stepped back abruptly.

"Why'd you stop me?" She whined.

Gajeel looked down on her in slight disapproval. "We're on a job, Levy. We're not here to beat up some immature, insensitive assholes who deserve it." Now that he thought about it a bit more, those two really pissed him off. They hurt Levy.

But it was too late to change his mind. Levy nodded. "You're right. Let's go find the labyrinth and get this over with." She winked at him. Gajeel grunted in surprise, eyes widening before turning away. His ears, however, turned a touch pink.

Thankfully, Levy didn't notice. "Love's blessing: speed!" She chanted. Her body felt lighter and a foreign energy coursed through her legs. "Cool!" She exclaimed.

Any Love's Blessing spell worked on the caster as well as whomever the caster deemed their romantic partner. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gajeel marveling at the power increase. _That means that my spell affected him…_ She ignored the insinuation like a pro. "I can't think about what that means," she insisted to herself. "I just…can't."

"Think about what _what_ means?" Gajeel asked, quickly closing the distance between them to stare at her curiously.

Levy squeaked at his sudden closeness. "Nothing!" She internally winced at her high pitch. "Uh, nothing. Don't worry about it." She assured him.

Gajeel eyed her strangely. "Alright…anyway, now that we're faster, we should go before the spell wears off."

"Right! First one to reach the labyrinth gets to boss the other around for a day!" Levy declared.

"You're on!" Gajeel agreed, smirking. "Get ready to get your ass whooped, shorty!"

Ignoring Gajeel's attempt to rile her, Levy simply grinned deviously. Without a second word, she took off. Gajeel's rumbling laugh followed her as he too began to run as fast as he could. As they zoomed throughout the city, stares –jealous, curious, and annoyed ones alike- followed them.

To a mere passerby, they were blurs of orange and black who seemed to be keeping pace with each other. But to themselves, this was a race. And neither were willing to lose.

Levy knew that she was at the upper hand. She actually knew where the labyrinth might be. There weren't many places in Rove that could house a labyrinth of substantial size. But, there was this one venue she knew about, which she was almost certain was where the labyrinth was. She had been keeping this information a secret from Gajeel so she could rub it in his face later, but she had memorized the layout of Rove when she was a just a little girl. Gajeel didn't stand a chance. _You better be ready to be my slave, Black Steel Gajeel._

Only a few feet behind Levy, Gajeel was biding his time. He wasn't stupid. He knew that Levy would be first to _find_ the labyrinth, but reaching it was a different story. He was faster than Levy. _His_ philosophy, albeit a bit flawed, was simply to follow her. Until he saw the labyrinth. Then, he would up his speed and beat her to the punch. He grinned at the thought of Levy's face when she realized her own words had failed her. _My plan is foolproof._ He thought, satisfied. _Get ready to do whatever I say, shrimp._

"OH MY MAVIS!" Gajeel and Levy had only been running for a minute before Levy had suddenly stopped. "Gajeel, do you see that?" She yelled, hoping the dragon slayer would hear her.

She needn't yell, however. Gajeel was right behind her. "See what?"

Levy didn't have time to interrogate Gajeel about why he was following her. She didn't care, either. What was in front of her was much more important. "It's the famous Fountain of Ecstasy." She murmured reverently. "Isn't it beautiful?"

Now Gajeel understood what she was looking at. A huge fountain stood in front of them, spraying huge torrents of glittering water into the air. The water would defy gravity for a few moments, hovering in the shape of hearts and swirls before falling back down. Perhaps the most amazing thing about the water was the color. The shimmering pink, purple, red, and even white ribbons of watery color were faint, but the effect of the fountain was staggering.

Gajeel found himself gaping and unable to say a word. "Wow." Was the most intelligent thing he could think of.

"Rumor has it that if you stand under the fountain with your loved one for an hour, your very life force will be tied to theirs." Levy said quietly.

Gajeel hummed. "That's taking 'when you die, I die as well' pretty literally, huh?" He commented, equally as quietly.

Levy laughed softly. "It's a bit over the top, but I guess when you love someone that much…" She trailed off.

"You wouldn't be able to live without them." Gajeel finished somberly. The statement was meant to be sarcastic, but his own voice betrayed him. The serious promise of his words rang loudly into Levy's ears and touched a small part of her heart.

Her heart, that _traitor_ , pounded in her ears. Unspoken words hung loudly in the silence. She watched Gajeel gaze at the fountain and studied him carefully. Same old black cloak, same unchanging hair. The metal studs shiny as ever, red eyes just as calculating as they've always been. Yet, something about him was different. Or…was it her perception of him that was changing?

Levy couldn't take it anymore. She had to shatter the silence, or she would start dwelling on topics she'd rather avoid.

She stuck with the first revelation that came to mind. A laugh began to build up in her throat.

"You totally _are_ a softie!"


	8. Chapter 8 - The Labyrinth Begins

**Quest For Love  
** (Gajevy/GaLe)

 **Chapter Eight – The Labyrinth Begins**

Gajeel cast a sideways glance at Levy, aware of what she was trying to do. _I guess she felt the same awkwardness I did. Glad to know I'm not the only one._ The tension between the two of them had been unreal, at least in Gajeel's opinion. He was so wound up he was practically shaking. Thankfully, Levy didn't seem to notice then. _I'll play along._ He decided. "You got me." He deadpanned. _Crap, I don't think I was very convincing._

Levy raised a brow. "That's weird of you. You aren't denying it?"

Gajeel blustered. "Uh, um. Can't you take a joke, shrimp?" He snapped.

"Sheesh, you don't need to get so wound up. And I can see straight through your lies, Gajeel Redfox. You." Levy jabbed a finger in Gajeel's face. "Are." _Jab._ "A." _Jab._ "S-O-F-T-I-E."

Gajeel leaned back and glared at her. "Does it matter?"

Levy grinned. "Of course it matters. I can't stand hard-headed cynical haters."

He harrumphed. "I guess that means you can't stand me."

He was whacked by Levy's purse. _Talk about_ _déjà vu._ When his vision stopped spinning, Levy had her hands on her hips and a frustrated look on her face. "Are you deaf? I've proven that you're a softie. Therefore, I do not can't stand you."

Gajeel's spirits soared. But he refused to show it, instead opting to raise an eyebrow. " 'do not can't stand' me? For someone so smart, you sure need some lessons in grammar."

"Shut up, jerk." Levy hissed. "You won't be preaching about _grammar_ when I beat you to that labyrinth!" With that and an evil smile, Levy took off.

Gajeel just shook his head. _She really thinks she can beat me?_ He scoffed. _What a joke._ However, the little smile on his face betrayed his true feelings. _I'm coming for you._

Levy ran as fast as she could, making sure she still had plenty of magic power to sustain the speed spell. "Don't use it all though," she reminded herself. "You still have a job to complete."

Within seconds, she heard Gajeel's telltale footsteps behind her. _I get it now,_ she thought, finally understanding his strategy. _Hmph, so he thinks he can just beat me at the end, huh? Don't be so cocky, Gajeel._

She turned right at a crossroads. _The labyrinth should be just down this street._ She recalled earlier on the train, when Gajeel had debriefed the mission to her.

" ' _The labyrinth has always been disguised as a bar named Into The Dark. You will see people sitting inside, but don't worry. Those people are merely visions.'" Gajeel stopped reading. "Wait, this is weird. It doesn't say where the bar is. I guess we'll have to find it."_

Levy grinned to herself. "Love's blessing solo: sight!" She whispered as softly as she could, recalling Gajeel's impeccable hearing. Since this was a solo spell, only she had been affected. Her vision suddenly sharpened, and she could read words on signs a few hundred feet away. _Aha. Time to act._

Levy wiped her face of any excitement and continued running at full speed. Gajeel followed, completely clueless. The bar drew nearer and nearer. When Gajeel made no move to speed in front of her, she knew she had won. She passed the bar without giving it a second glance. So did Gajeel. Then, she acted as if she had seen it. "There it is!" She stage-whispered, laughing to herself on the inside.

Gajeel's chuckle sounded from behind her. "Gotcha, shrimp," he growled as he sprinted past her.

Levy halted and turned back, running back to the bar before Gajeel could even realize what was happening. She stopped in front of the dimly lit door. "No," she yelled after him. Gajeel stopped and turned back, shocked to find Levy standing proudly in front of different shop. "I got _you_ , metal head."

Levy grinned victoriously while Gajeel stared at her in mute horrification. "Oh no." He grumbled. "What have I signed up for?" He trudged back, beyond embarrassed.

Levy bit her lip and watched him. _Be nice,_ she chanted to herself. _He's mortified enough as it is._ "Oh screw this," she mumbled, her mischievous side emerging. "Hey Gajeel!" She teased. "How does it feel to get beat by a shrimp, huh?"

Gajeel just glared at her. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "Did you just admit that you're a shrimp?" He crowed.

Levy's grin vanished. "What?" She said numbly. "Oh my Mavis, I did. No! No, I did not! I only said that because that's what you always call me and oh HELL why am I the one being teased and not YOU?" She finished, panting angrily.

Gajeel smirked and ruffled her hair.

"Hey!" She complained, fixing her headband.

"How 'bout this. I forget that you admitted that you were a little shrimp," he chuckled, "and _you_ forget about this entire race."

Levy raised both eyebrows. "Seriously? You think I'm gonna pass up on this opportunity to gloat? No way. Besides," She winked, "You have to be my slave for a day and _that_ is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

Gajeel stood spluttering, taken aback by both Levy's adorable wink and the reminder of the bet. "I only agreed to that because I thought I would win!"

Levy shrugged. "So? A bet's a bet. And I win."

Gajeel growled. "Fine. But I ain't letting you live down this whole shrimp business."

She snorted. "Fine with me. Anyway, here it is. The labyrinth."

Gajeel tilted his head up. The flickering neon sign read "Into the Dark". "I guess it is." He muttered. "Alright, let's go in."

"Wait, Gajeel! Shouldn't we figure out-" Levy was cut off by the sound of the door slamming. "Are you kidding me?" She threw her hands up, exasperated. "That guy has got a death wish." She grumbled as she opened the door and slipped inside as well.

As soon as she entered, the sight of a merry bar greeted her. "Gajeel?" She asked tentatively. No response. She looked around the bar. "Where'd you go?"

Before she could take a step forwards, the bar began to fall apart. "I get it. This is all a façade." She narrowed her eyes at the scene. The projection of a bar began to fade. The people, the tables, the chairs all pixelated into dust. Levy screwed her eyes shut, waiting to fall.

A few moments passed. "Shrimp? Why're you closing your eyes?" A gruff voice asked.

Levy's eyes flew open. "Gajeel?" Gajeel was standing in front of her. The bar had completely disappeared, leaving her standing in a huge room that buzzed with magic energy. She was standing on a swirling galaxy of a floor. Just looking at the purple, pink and black swirls made her dizzy. She quickly turned her gaze elsewhere. The walls of the room were inscribed with enchantments so tiny Levy could barely read them. However, they looked familiar. _They remind me of Freed's enchantments._ Levy mused in her head. The painted ceiling sported a beautiful mural of a starry sky.

"Wow," she breathed, "Where are we?"

Gajeel crossed his arms and placed himself in front of her protectively. "I'm guessing the labyrinth."

Levy snorted, secretly feeling fuzzy at the sweet gesture. _Gajeel may be a total jerk and an idiot, but he's never failed to protect me._ "Yeah, I guessed that too." She said in a snarky voice. _Why am I lashing out?_

Gajeel didn't react to her offending tone. He frowned. "See those?" He pointed to the three hallways that led out of the room. "Which one are we supposed to take?"

Levy hummed. "Let's see. I'm pretty sure there's signs in front of all of them.

However, when she tried to take a step, she found herself immobilized. "Eh? I can't move?"

Gajeel spun towards her. "What?"

Levy tried again to take a step. Nothing. "I can't move!" She tried to move her arms. No luck. They were glued to her side. "Why am I stuck?" She panicked.

"Don't worry!" Levy gasped at the newcomer's voice. Gajeel whipped his head around.

There, in the center of the room, stood a flickering projection of a smiling Mirajane.

"Mira?" Levy gaped. "What are you doing here?"

Gajeel narrowed his eyes at her. For some reason, he was unsurprised. He thought he had spotted the girl multiple times on their way here. "Are you here to give us advice?" He snapped roughly at the projection of the barmaid.

Mira chuckled awkwardly. "Um…you see…"

She stuck her hand out to the side and yanked on something. A stammering Lucy appeared in the projection, followed by a yelping Natsu. Happy flew in on his own accord, followed by Erza stepping in haughtily. Before long, the entire operation team stood grinning like Cheshire cats at the stunned pair.

"Lucy?" Levy exclaimed. Her jaw dropped. "Why is _everyone_ here?"

"Salamander?" Gajeel questioned. "Alright, what is the meaning of all this?" He demanded to know. His hands curled into fists and he stepped forwards.

Natsu grinned deviously. "We're projections, dumbass. You can't hit us."

Gajeel growled at him. "Shut your trap and let someone with brains explain."

Natsu fumed, first already on fire. "Are you calling me stupid?"

"So what if I am?"

"I will murder you, you piece of rusting metal!" Natsu screamed through projection.

Gajeel smirked. "You're a projection, dumbass." He mimicked. "You can't hit me."

Natsu was about to burst into flames when Lucy caught his arm. "Natsu! Now is not the time!"

Levy attempted to nod. "She's right. Back off, Gajeel. And Mira, explain yourself!"

The barmaid hummed thoughtfully. "I guess I can only put it one way." She placed her hands behind her back and beamed at Levy. "Welcome to _my_ labyrinth!"


End file.
